The USS Bitterbush (AN-39/YN-58) was a net laying ship of the Ailanthus-class that operated with the US Navy in World War II's western Pacific Ocean theater of operations. It was laid down on 30 November 1942 at Everett, Washington, by the Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company; renamed Bitterbush on 3 April 1943; launched on 30 June 1943; commissioned on 15 January 1944, with Lt. Harry E. Horrocks, Jr. in command; and decommissioned on 4 January 1946, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California. The ship protected the United States Pacific Fleet with its anti-submarine nets and came home safely after the war with one battle star.
Many asbestos-containing materials were used in the construction of Navy ships at a period when the full extent of asbestos's risks was not known. Each ship's pipes, block insulation, boilers, pumps, valves, and engines were all discovered to have significant levels of asbestos. If you believe you were exposed to asbestos while serving on the USS Isherwood (DD-520), you may be eligible for compensation via asbestos trust funds or VA claims.
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